Data: 2023 USDA zones (PRISM/OSU) · NOAA 1991–2020 normals · updated

Planting zone for 93921 — Carmel By The Sea, CA

ZIP code 93921 (Carmel By The Sea, Monterey County) is in USDA zone 10a: the coldest winter night averages 30 to 35 °F.

Where ZIP 93921 is

Outlined: the ZIP code area · tap the map for the zone at any spot · scroll or pinch to zoom

Not the official USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map. Zones come from the 2023 USDA hardiness-zone data by the PRISM Group, Oregon State University; we re-mapped and recolored them. The official map is at planthardiness.ars.usda.gov.

Zone10a30 to 35 °F
Coldest night−1.1 to 1.7 °C
Last frostrare
First frostrare
2012 zone10a

Same zone as on the 2012 map. The zone is the one at the center of the ZIP code; hilly ZIPs can span two zones. What zone 10a means →

Frost forecast — next 7 nights

live from the National Weather Service

Loading the forecast for Carmel By The Sea, CA…

Forecast data: National Weather Service (api.weather.gov), public domain. This is not a warning service — for official frost and freeze warnings see weather.gov.

Frost dates

A 32 °F frost doesn't happen here in most winters. At the nearest station (NOAA station Monterey, CA — 2 miles away, elevation 259 ft) the median growing season is 365 days. When frost does come, it is a midwinter night or two; cover tender plants when a freeze is forecast.

Frost data: NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020.

When spring arrived in 2026

In 2026, spring leaf-out near 93921 came on Jan 20 — 6 days earlier than the 1991–2020 average (Jan 26).

JanFebMarAprMayJun

The Spring Index marks the day when accumulated warmth is enough for lilac and honeysuckle to leaf out — a widely used signal that the growing season has started. Source: USA National Phenology Network, www.usanpn.org — Spring Indices, first leaf, 2026 (data as of 2026-09-08) and 30-year average 1991–2020 (CC BY 4.0).

Soil in Carmel By The Sea, CA

The soil mapped at the center of ZIP 93921 is Oceano — loamy sand, excessively drained.

TextureLoamy sanddrains and warms fast; dries out and needs more feeding
pH5.8moderately acidic; most vegetables like 6.0–7.0
DrainageExcessively drainednatural drainage class
Organic matter1%low — add compost
Hydrologic groupAwater soaks in fast
Farmland classFarmland of statewide importanceUSDA classification

Map unit: Oceano loamy sand, 2 to 15 percent slopes.

Soil Survey Staff, Natural Resources Conservation Service, USDA. Soil Survey Geographic (SSURGO) Database, via Soil Data Access, accessed 2026-10-29. The soil at the center point of ZIP 93921; soils change within a few hundred feet, so a home soil test (pH, nutrients) is still the best guide.

Climate in Carmel By The Sea, CA

Summer high71 °Faverage high, September
Winter low44 °Faverage low, December
Hot days3days a year at 90 °F or more
Freezing nights1nights a year at 32 °F or less
Growing degree days2,575base 50 °F — the season’s usable heat
Longest day14 h 40 mindaylight on June 21
Shortest day9 h 40 mindaylight on December 21
Onions to growIntermediateday-neutral types bulb best; long-day varieties may not bulb fully
Precipitation20.4 inper year, rain and melted snow

Average high and low, by month

30°40°50°60°70°80°32 °FJanuary: average high 60 °F, low 45 °F 60°45° JanFebruary: average high 61 °F, low 45 °F 61°45° FebMarch: average high 63 °F, low 46 °F 63°46° MarApril: average high 63 °F, low 47 °F 63°47° AprMay: average high 64 °F, low 49 °F 64°49° MayJune: average high 66 °F, low 51 °F 66°51° JunJuly: average high 67 °F, low 53 °F 67°53° JulAugust: average high 69 °F, low 54 °F 69°54° AugSeptember: average high 71 °F, low 53 °F 71°53° SepOctober: average high 71 °F, low 52 °F 71°52° OctNovember: average high 64 °F, low 48 °F 64°48° NovDecember: average high 59 °F, low 44 °F 59°44° Dec

Precipitation by month inches

0″1″2″3″4″5″January: 4.35 in precipitation 4.3 JanFebruary: 3.99 in precipitation 4.0 FebMarch: 3.32 in precipitation, 0.2 in snowfall 3.3 MarApril: 1.48 in precipitation 1.5 AprMay: 0.60 in precipitation 0.6 MayJune: 0.15 in precipitation 0.1 JunJuly: 0.05 in precipitation 0.1 JulAugust: 0.06 in precipitation 0.1 AugSeptember: 0.09 in precipitation 0.1 SepOctober: 0.91 in precipitation 0.9 OctNovember: 1.80 in precipitation 1.8 NovDecember: 3.62 in precipitation, 0.1 in snowfall 3.6 Dec

NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020 — temperature: Monterey, CA (2 mi away); precipitation: Monterey, CA (2 mi away). Daylight is calculated from latitude.

Nearby ZIP codes

All 8 nearest ZIP codes share zone 10a.

9392210a
Carmel, CA · <1 mi
9395310a
Pebble Beach, CA · 3 mi
9394410a
Monterey, CA · 3 mi
9394210a
Monterey, CA · 4 mi
9395010a
Pacific Grove, CA · 5 mi
9394010a
Monterey, CA · 7 mi
9395510a
Seaside, CA · 9 mi
9393310a
Marina, CA · 12 mi

California planting zones →

Questions about 93921

What planting zone is ZIP code 93921?

ZIP code 93921 (Carmel By The Sea, CA) is in USDA hardiness zone 10a on the 2023 map: the coldest night of an average winter reaches 30 to 35 °F (−1.1 to 1.7 °C).

How much rain and snow does 93921 get?

About 20.4 inches of precipitation a year (NOAA 1991–2020 normals, Monterey station).

How hot do summers get in Carmel By The Sea, CA?

The average high peaks at 71 °F in September, with about 3 days a year at 90 °F or more.

What kind of soil does 93921 have?

The USDA soil survey maps Oceano at the center of ZIP 93921: loamy sand, excessively drained, pH about 5.8 (moderately acidic).

Did spring come early in Carmel By The Sea, CA in 2026?

Spring leaf-out near 93921 came on Jan 20 in 2026, 6 days earlier than the 1991–2020 average (Jan 26), according to the USA National Phenology Network Spring Index.

What kind of onions grow in Carmel By The Sea, CA?

Intermediate onions: the longest day near 93921 is 14 h 40 min, so day-neutral types bulb best; long-day varieties may not bulb fully.